Insulin a slow march to kidney failure

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Working with Panchgavya medicines gives advantages not enjoyed by

other vaidyas. Panchgavya is a " scanning system " which tells what is

poisonous for human beings, or at least for this particular patient!

If similar experiences occur for several patients, then what is

poisonous can be understood for a much wider section of the community.

 

The motivation for this post was provided by few patients who

started taking panchgavya medication for Diabetes, who then proceeded

to switch back to modern medicine due to the inconvenience or social

or religious stigma of continuing with their panchgavya medication.

They were introduced to insulin therapy by allopaths. However they

swiftly returned to Ayurveda due to allergic reactions or when they

reached the stage of microalbuminuria. After their return, along with

Panchgavya, insulin was also continued, as the body develops an

addiction to a drug and it should only gradually be reduced. When

both medications were taken, it was found that blood sugar was now

not easily controlled. In medicine one plus one does not equal two.

This means that the insulin was being rendered less effective by cow

urine distillate. This was also the past experience with other

medications specifically directed at the central nervous system, be

they anti-depressants, anti-convulsants, chemotherapy or anti-biotics. Cow urine

filters out all poisons which are dangerous for the body and makes chemotherapy

side effects bearable. This poison absorption

property is exploited in Ayurveda in order to remove the toxicity of

several herbs which are used. If a herb is kept dipped in cow urine

for an appropriate length of time, the urine absorbs the toxic

chemicals and the herb itself becomes detoxified for human use. The author

wishes to

present his experience along with material from literature which has

been published and available online.

 

Energy is produced in the body by using glucose and insulin. The

hormone insulin which is produced by the pancreas, regulates the

amount of glucose to be found in the blood. If the body lacks insulin

or does not use insulin properly, then this imbalance results in high

blood sugar levels. In type 2 diabetes, patients produce insulin but

cells throughout the body do not respond normally to that insulin.

The causes of insulin resistance are dealt with in the file " early

diagnosis of pre-diabetic or PCOS " available at the link below to

list members:

 

http://health.ayurvedaarticles/Dr.\

%20BhateFiles/

 

Although injecting Insulin was the primary therapy for Type-1

diabetes, it is now being used in type 2 diabetes to overcome the

resistance of cells to that insulin. Insulin is used either in the

form of tablet or injection. The first recombinant human insulin was

approved by the FDA in 1982. Various types of insulin and the time

span of their action, can be read at:

 

http://www.medicinenet.com/insulin/article.htm

 

Modern medicine claims that by increasing the cells' uptake of

glucose and by reducing the concentration of glucose in the blood,

insulin prevents or reduces long-term complications of diabetes,

including damage to the blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

While blood sugar control is experienced by most, other claims need

to be verified by experience. If insulin was really effective, it

would not lessen in its efficacy when cow urine is used

 

Insulin therapy is not convenient and has many side effects. These

are listed at:

 

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/insulin-side-effects.html

 

The author here lists the side-effect which are common to all types

of insulin:

 

Severe allergic reactions (rashes, hives, redness, mild pain,

swelling, itching, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest,

swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue) chills, dizziness,

drowsiness, fainting, fast or irregular heartbeat, headache,

increased hunger, loss of consciousness, nervousness, seizures,

sweating, tremor and weakness. Confusion, nausea, hunger, tiredness,

perspiration, heart palpitations, numbness around the mouth, tingling

in the fingers, muscle weakness, excessive yawning, irritability and

loss of consciousness as well as changes in vision. Patients may

experience blurred vision when they have had elevated blood sugar

levels for a prolonged periods of time and then have those elevated

levels brought rapidly back to normal. This is due to a shift of

fluid within the lens of the eye. Over time, vision returns to

normal. Other possible side effects that may occur include worsening

of diabetic retinopathy, changes in the distribution of body fat

(lipodystrophy), sodium retention and general body swelling as well

as weight gain.

 

One problem with insulin therapy is the regulation of the dose. Too

much insulin can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can lead

to anxiety, chills, cold sweats, drowsiness, fast heart rate,

headache, loss of consciousness, nausea, nervousness, tremors,

unusual hunger or unusual weakness. On the other hand, too little

insulin can cause symptoms of high blood sugar accompanied by

confusion, drowsiness, dry skin, fatigue, flushing, frequent

urination, a fruity breath odour, loss of appetite and rapid

breathing. In the event of an allergic reaction (rash, itching,

swelling, dizziness and trouble with breathing) further medication of

immuno-suppressants becomes necessary, which in turn increases

insulin resistance in the patient. We have an intelligent immune

system which rejects the insulin as an alien material in cases where

allergic reactions occur.

 

Insulin users should be careful if there are indications of any

underlying liver disease or reduced kidney function. These are

warnings in disguise, warnings that insulin may be damaging the

liver. One patient, though having normal sugar levels, had lost their

hunger to a great extent. By palpation, the liver area was found to

be hard to the touch and localized pain was also present. But in this

post we will restrict ourselves to discussing the involvement of the

kidneys. The author will deal with the liver issues separately, as

the liver also holds the key to the treatment of diabetes.

The kidneys, being the master chemists of the body, remove excesses

and also wastes from the blood via the urine and return the cleaned

blood back to the body. They regulate the body's water levels and

that of the different minerals needed by the body for good health.

They produce hormones that control other body functions, the blood

pressure being the most important one. Many other organs depend on

the kidneys in order to work properly.

 

Even with the use of injected insulin, people who have had diabetes

for some time often suffer from damage to the small blood vessels of

the body. We belive that it is caused by Diabetes and not insulin.

This may cause damage to the retina of the eye and result in loss of

vision. Also, the delicate blood vessels in the filters of the kidney

may be damaged. At the early stage, this damage is shown by finding

protein in the urine. Any underfunctioning kidney can show symptoms

such as hypertension, but modern science treats hypertension as a

complication of diabetes. The author feels that hypertension is a

symptom of reduced function of the kidneys and in some cases,

diabetes is also present. Ayurvedic vaidyas can find protein

elimination by using urine examination and in some cases, pain on the

kidney marma points can also be felt. Pitting edema on the

heels (under the ankle bone area) is another pointer.

 

Diabetic nephropathy is believed to be a complication of diabetes, in

which the kidney loses its ability to function properly. The

condition is characterized by high levels of protein in the urine. To

understand the reasons for this it may be better to show a cursory

study on how the kidney functions:

 

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000494.htm

 

Each kidney is composed of hundreds of thousands of units called

nephrons. Each nephron has a cluster of blood vessels called a

glomerulus. The glomerulus filters blood and forms urine which then

drains down into the ureter.

 

The earliest detectable change in the course of diabetic nephropathy

is a thickening in the glomerulus. At this stage, the kidney may

start allowing more albumin (protein) than normal through into the

urine and this can be detected by sensitive tests for albumin. This

stage is called " microalbuminuria " .

 

As diabetic nephropathy progresses, increasing numbers of glomeruli

are destroyed. Now the amounts of albumin being excreted in the urine

increase and may be detected by ordinary urinalysis techniques.

Protein may appear in the urine for 5 to 10 years before other

symptoms develop. Over time, the kidney's ability to function starts

to decline. Diabetic nephropathy may eventually lead to chronic

kidney failure. The disorder continues to progress toward end-stage

kidney disease, often within 2 to 6 years after the appearance of

high protein in the urine (proteinuria). Once nephropathy develops

the greatest rate of progression is seen in patients with poor

control of their blood pressure.

 

Diabetic nephropathy generally goes along with other diabetic

complications including hypertension, retinopathy and blood vessel

changes, although these may not be obvious during the early stages of

nephropathy. Nephropathy may be present for many years before high

levels of protein in the urine or chronic kidney failure develop.

Symptoms may include: Fatigue, foamy appearance or excessive frothing

of the urine, frequent hiccups, General ill feeling, generalized

itching, Headache, Nausea and vomiting, Poor appetite, Swelling of

the legs , swelling, usually around the eyes in the mornings and

general body swelling which may occur with late stages of the disease

as well as unintentional weight gain from generalized edema.

 

Commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),

including ibuprofen, naproxen, and prescription Cox-2 inhibitors such

as celecoxib (Celebrex), may injure the weakened kidney.

Sometimes in the later stages, so much protein is lost from the blood

that water from the blood moves into the body tissues and causes

swelling (edema). After a number of years, the kidneys' filters can

become so damaged by diabetes that the kidneys fail. For ayurvedists

following pulse diagnosis, it is easy to detect such a stage. Press

the hind arm of the patient, and check its rigidity. Often one finds

that the fleshy muscle has become almost like a plastic paste. This

state is not necessarily related to diabetes alone. Women who have

gone through C-section and subsequent weight gain were also found to

have such edema. Those on Calcium Channel blockers, beta-blockers or

ACE inhibitors also exhibit such a state. Fatigue is their permanent

companion, despite their hypertension having been controlled.

Shortness of breath on climbing stairs is a frequent phenomenon.

Diabetes can also damage the nerves in many parts of the body. When

the bladder is affected, it may be difficult to pass urine. The

pressure from urine building up in the bladder can damage the

kidneys. The urine of people with diabetes under insulin management

has a high sugar content. This encourages the growth of bacteria and

kidney infections may occur.

 

There can be serious kidney damage without the patient being aware of

it. There are usually no specific symptoms of kidney disease (as

perceived by allopathy) until the damage is severe. The patient may

also retain salt and water, which can cause swelling of the hands and

feet as well as shortness of breath. Less insulin than usual may be

needed.

 

To prevent kidney damage and to maintain good control of blood sugar

levels and blood pressure, exercise, not smoking or consuming

alcohol, taking a good diet and having sufficient and quality sleep

will all be of benefit. Heavy exercise in Gym is not needed, walking

3-4 Km everyday itself is adequate.

 

A safer way of dealing with diabetes is with panchgavya medicines.

Addition of either Chandraprabhavati or Shilajit Rasyana to the

protocol takes care of kidney protection as well as prostate

enlargement. In case there is edema of the feet, even if blood sugar

is controlled with insulin and blood pressure is managed with ACE

inhibitors, switching to panchgavya showed better results, with

patients achieving better energy levels and less edema over all. As a

result they started taking a morning walk which helped them even

further. The only problem with panchgavya medicines are the satvik

diet, which many patients find difficult to maintain. Non-vegetarian

food, spicy food, oily or fried foods and bakery items are

restricted. Sweets are allowed only in moderation while salads and

greens are allowed in plenty. If kidney damage was not extensive,

anti-hypertensives can be stopped altogether. With panchgavya

medication there is no need for separate anti-hypertensive

medication. Hypertension is an indication of an inappropriate

diagnosis of the patient and not a separate disease which needs to be

treated. Panchgavya medication takes care of diabetes and any

hypertension, as well as protecting the kidneys. Those which cant

take panchgavya medicines, they can take several herbal mixtures or

extracts, which are now a days available widely. It is noteworthy

that ayurvedic medicines have no side effects such as renal failure,

as experienced on a medium sized patient population. Of course this

cant have the weight of a large random clinical trial; but ayurveda

never needed the crutches of clinical trials! Being a divine science,

it moves by faith and trust.

 

For those with science mindset, the chemical contents of various

insulins, side effects of various insulins, the proof that some

insulin causes kidney failure etc can be found in a

file " What_is_insulin.doc " at the link

 

http://health.ayurvedaarticles/Jan\

eMacRossFiles/

 

Editing help and above file from Jane MacRoss is gratefully

acknowledged,